Communion as a Cousin Relationship

In the current disputes about the Episcopal Church (TEC) and its relationship with the Anglican Communion, a lot of traditionalists seem to envision the communion of churches as like a marriage.  In a healthy marriage, there properly is no automony about important matters; there's no "me and you" but only "us."  There have been times when my wife or I have refrained from doing something one of us thought was important, solely because it would make the other one unhappy or even merely uncomfortable. Many reexaminers would agree with the trads that this is indeed how a marriage should be. Where we disagree is that communion is that kind of relationship.

Communion, I submit, is instead like being cousins:  a more-distant but still-familial relationship.  I have something like 20 first cousins. Some have done things I didn't approve of; that's their business, not mine.  We still love each other, and we're glad to see each other when we get together.  There have been occasions when we've demonstrated by deeds that if one of us is in need, the rest of us are there for that one.  If you ask me, that is what the communion of churches should be.